In battle the best way to defeat an entrenched enemy is to hit him in his weak spot or, even better, manoeuvre around him completely to make his position untenable (and irrelevant). By the same token, a company can outflank or bypass the competition through innovation and savvy market manoeuving. Here are some questions from Brilliant Manoeuvres to improve your ability to use the indirect approach:

Are there customers, segments, or entire markets that are currently inadequately served or ignored by established competitors?

Are there existing products and services that could be modified to better meet these needs?

Are there components or technologies that could be re-combined or suitably modified to meet these needs?

Could you effectively outflank and bypass the competition by exploiting these under-served or ignored needs?

What competencies and resources can you bring to bear to exploit these opportunities?

What financial, human, technical, marketing, and sales capabilities could you develop or acquire to bypass the competition?

Can you keep the risks within acceptable bounds? What means could you use to do so?

Richard Martin is The Force Multiplier. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to radically improve performance, grow, and thrive in the face of rapid change, harsh competition, and increasing uncertainty.

I’m never too busy to discuss your needs or those of anyone else you feel may benefit from meeting or talking to me. So feel free to contact me at any time!